Illusions
by PrincessVamp
Summary: London, with Sailor V Minako's acting distant, and Artemis thinks he knows why...


PrincessVamp here. Read. Enjoy. Review.

Ciao!

'You're not ready for the world outside; you keep pretending, but you just can't hide...'

--Song from Buffy's CD _Once More With Feeling. _

Sailor V gave a high-powered kick to a criminal's midsection, and then karate-chopped him on the head. He dropped like a stone, and Minako, my charge, didn't even smile. Months ago she would have jumped up and down, squealing, and danced around me. Now she was like stone, so used to this horrible lifestyle that she was detached from everything a normal girl would be enjoying.

Minako took off the jewelry-thief's belt and tied his hands with it, then stood up and looked at me.

"Let's go, Artemis," she commands, regal as a princess. She is _my_ princess: my light; like my own daughter.

I nod, deep in thought. She hasn't shown emotion in at least four months. And no wonder: her life had been horrible. Her mother was an alcoholic and her father was addicted to all kinds of drugs. She had no friends at school, had almost been sexually assaulted by a photographer when she was modeling (a quick kick to the groin had fixed that up, however), and her boyfriend had fallen in love with Minako's best friend Katarina...

Perhaps it was a good thing we were leaving London and going to Tokyo.

Later, back at home, Minako comes out of the shower, her silky white robe on, brushing her long, golden hair. "Oh, Artemis," she sighs, flinging drops of water about. "I'm so tired..." she plops down on her elegant white bed.

"Mina," I climb onto her lap and she strokes my head absently. "Maybe we should stop Sailor V for a while."

She stands up quickly and I tumble off of her lap, then sit down, disgruntled.

"What?!" Her blue eyes are wide and shocked. "Why?" she demands.

"You're doing a wonderful job with it," I reassure her, really, really hoping she won't get mad and take away my delicious fish snacks to punish me again. "But you're very...you're not...you're acting through your life," I try to find the words. She sits down, mollified, and crosses her arms. I'm not out of the danger zone yet. "You're not really _living_," I explain. "You're only fourteen, Mina-mine, yet you act like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. I don't want to take away your childhood from you." I finish softly.

Minako falls on her stomach and props her head up on her hands, looking at me carefully. "So why take away Sailor V?" she asks softly.

I flinch. She sounds so hurt... "Just so you can start to have fun again... life isn't all about fighting and surviving, Minako. It's about love, and...and truth and justice and happiness and friendship..."

Minako starts smiling. "I know, Artie. I'm fighting _for_ those things. These criminals...they're taking those emotions _away_ from the people they hurt. I just stop them." She flips onto her back and stares up at her buttery-yellow ceiling. "I _can't_ stop," she whispers. "I just...I would feel so incomplete..." Her eyes close, her long, extravagant eyelashes touching her cheeks. "More so than I do now."

"Minako?" I frown. _Incomplete? _

"I feel like a part of me is missing," she murmurs. I curl up beside her. "Sometimes...if I try to feel something too much...it makes me feel empty. Like I need someone, and I've lost them...? I don't know. But if I don't pay too much attention to anything, I don't feel it. I hate it... I hate not being able to feel the sun without cringing."

"Oh, Minako..." I want to cry. "We'll find her. You're someone. It's the Princess, I know it is...as soon as we find her, you'll be okay." _You're not ready yet,_ I think. _You can't know about Malachite and the other Generals. Don't try to think about it too much, love. You can't remember the Moon Kingdom yet, or the Princess, or your station...or your engagement. You're too young. You feel as though you can take on the world...but you're just pretending. You need the other Sailors. _

_Soon._

Minako rolls over and looks at me. "Will it?" her melodic voice plays over me, and I close my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

"I don't think so," she sighs. "You pretend that it'll be OK, but I know you, Artemis," she pulls the covers up over her legs. "You're just trying to protect me."

She smiled sadly. _If you knew my dreams, Artie, you would know I'm already grown up. I've loved, been loved, and died. _

She turns off the light. _It's all right. By day I'll pretend...but at night..._

Minako closes her eyes and sees him, her love, smiling at her. _At night, I am ready for anything. _

...Wow, that was confusing even to me. Hope ya all like, it, and REVIEW!!!

Luv ya,

PrincessVamp


End file.
